Cabinet structures



Dec. 27, 1955 M. CARUSO 2,728,624

CABINET STRUCTURES Filed July 25, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 27, 1955 M. cARuso CABINET STRUCTURES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1952 .55 UUUDUDUUUU Dec. 27, 1955 M. cARuso ,728,624

CABINET STRUCTURES Filed July 23, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 TzcrE.

INVENTOR- flKxP/O 614E050 AT OEIVEX CABDIET STRUCTURES Mario Caruso, New Bedford, Mass.

Application July 23, 1952, Serial No. 300,558

2 Claims. (Cl. 312-262) This invention relates to cabinet structures and especially to cabinets intended for housing a vending machine mechanism of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,563,102, issued to me April 15, 1952.

While in the above-stated patent a cabinet similar to the one now presented is indicated, the specific structure of the instant disclosure constitutes a definite and now time-tested advance over the cabinet shown in that patent in that all of its component parts are designed for automatic registry, cooperation and interlocking with one another when moved to their closing position preparatory to locking the cabinet.

One of the prime objects of the present invention is the provision of a cabinet having automatically interlockable, articulated sections, one being fixed, the other section being mobile, and wherein one of the mobile sections constitutes a lockable section adaptedto hold all sections in interlocking engagement with each other and to finally lock the cabinet against ingress.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a cabinet composed of a fixed section and a plurality of mobile sections, all operatively connected with each other and being adapted to automatically interlock with one another when brought to their closing position, one of the mobile sections constituting the locking section for the cabinet and is equipped with locking means adapted to cooperate with another of the mobile sections for holding all sections in interlocked engagement with one another and for keeping the cabinet securely locked.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an articulated vending machine cabinet, wherein is employed in combination with a fixed cabinet section a plurality of mobile, automatically interlockable sections, and wherein the fixed section is composed of a recessed base supporting a one-piece fixed panel constituting the back of the cabinet and a portion of a side section thereof, and wherein the mobile sections are operatively connected with said fixed section and are adapted to cooperate with one another, and wherein the base as well as the mobile sections are provided with interlockable edge formations automatically cooperating with one another when the sections are brought to their closing position, and wherein one of the mobile sections constitutes the locking section for the cabinet and is provided with a key-operated lock adapted to facilitate final locking of the cabinet when all of its sections are in interlocking, closing position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an articulated vending machine cabinet having automatically interlockable sections, and which cabinet is adapted to enclose a vending machine mechanism, and wherein adjustable reinforcing and bracing means are provided in the cabinet and are adapted to engage the vending machine mechanism so that the latter is fixedly held within the cabinet.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and additional advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

nited States Patent 2,728,624 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the cabinet with each of its sections and component parts thereof shown individually;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the cabinet shown in full lines with two of the mobile sections indicated by broken lines in semi-open position;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the cabinet shown in full lines, disclosing the looking or lockable section and the end view of the mobile front section, the top edge of the mobile front section and the mobile top section being shown in semi-open position in broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the cabinet shown in full line and partly broken off and showing a fragmental section at the right-hand lower corner, the top section being indicated in semi-open position in broken lines;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental section taken approximately along lines 55 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmental section taken approximately along lines 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the exploded view shown in Fig. 1, there will be seen a base 10 constituting a dished structure which is recessed in respect to the upper cabinet body, as clearly seen in Fig. 3, and which base is provided along its upper edges with substantially horizontal flanges 11, 12 and 13. In the rear there extends from the bottom of the base a bent-up flange 14 and from the two sides extend bent-in flanges 15. Above the base will be seen a one-piece, stationary or fixed combination panel 16 constituting the back 17 of the cabinet and a fixed portion 18 of the lefthand side section thereof. The edges of the cabinet back and of the fixed side section are flanged as at 17 and 18', however, these flanges terminate short of the lower edge of back 17 and section 18 as indicated at 17" and 18'. The lower edge of section portion 18 is formed into an angle 18" to fit over flange 12 of the base, with which portion 18 is fixedly connected. At the upper edge of section portion 18 is provided an upwardly opening channel 19, the purpose of which will be explained presently. Next to the flange 18' of section portion 18 is shown a long continuous hinge 20 of the piano type, and next to that hinge a one-piece mobile panel 21 is illustrated. That mobile panels forms the front 22 of the cabinet and the mobile portion 23 of the cabinet side section, said mobile portion constituting a component part of fixed portion 18. Section portion 23 has a vertical flange 23 while cabinet front 22 has an inturned, hollow edge 22.

Mobile panel 21 is reinforced along its top and bottom edges by horizontal reinforcements 24 and 25 and by a substantially central reinforcement 26. All reinforcements extend not only across front 22 but also form continuations along mobile side section portion 23. From continuation 26 of the middle reinforcement extends diagonally across the lower half of front 22 a brace 27 and is adjustably secured at the free lower corner of cabinet front 22. Above reinforcement 24 there will be seen an inwardly directed flange 28, and below reinforcement 25 a similar flange 29 is indicated, the purpose of which flanges will be presently evident.

Referring again to the fixed or stationary one-piece combination panel 26 and its flange 17', there will be observed next to that flange another piano hinge 30, and next to that hinge is shown the other, mobile side section 31 of the cabinet. That section constitutes the locking section of the cabinet structure. It is equipped with a key-controlled locking instrumentality, indicated at 32 in Fig. 3, and which locking instrumentality cooperates with the turned-in edge 22' of one-piece mobile panel 21. Section 31 has a vertical front flange 31' and a bottom flange 31", and along the upper edge there is provided an upwardly opening channel formation 33, similar to channel 19 of fixed side section portion 18.

At the upper edge of cabinet back 17 there is a horizontal flange 34 directed forwardly. Above that flange is seen a piano-type hinge 35, and above that hinge is shown the mobile top section 36. That top section is provided with relatively broad side flanges 37 and 38, and attached to but spaced from these flanges are flange-like extensions 37 and 38', respectively. Extension flange 38' is adapted to interlock with channel 19 of fixed portion 18, and extension flange 37' is designed to engage and interlock with channel 33 of locking section 31 when the latter section is brought to its closing position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6.

Along the front edge of top section 36 there is provided a channel structure 39 which is adapted to be engaged by rearwardly directed top flange 28 of the mobile panel 21. At the rear of top section 36 there is a forwardly directed flange 40 to which one wing of hinge 35 is attached while the other wing is secured to flange 34 of cabinet back 17. In a similar manner hinge 20 is attached to flanges 18' and 23, and hinge 30 is secured to flange 17 and the flat rear edge area of locking side section 31.

In the fragmental detail view shown in Fig. there will be observed a lever 41, hingedly connected at 42 with flange 33 of top section 36. An L-shaped slot 43 provided in that lever cooperates with a pin 44 so that top section 36 is held in open position when the L-portion 43' of the slot is caused to engage pin 44.

Referring again to Fig. 3, the locking arrangement indicated in that figure comprises a pair of spaced, hookshaped detents 45 which project through suitable openings 45 provided in flange 31 of lockable side section 31, and which detents are normally urged by spring 45" in downward direction, and are connected by a lock-controlled bar 46. The hook ends of these detents are adapted to pass into apertures 46 located in the turned-in edge 22 of mobile panel 21, see Fig. l. The lower end of mobile side section 31 is preferably equipped with a springloaded detent or bolt 47 clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 4. A guide lug 48 for panel 21 extends from the latters turned-in edge 22 and serves for engaging guide aperture 48' in flange 31' of locking panel 31, thus bringing these two panels into locking registry. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

in Figs. 4 and 6 there is indicated at 49 the frame of a vending machine mechanism which is shown engaged by crossing braces or reinforcements 50, extending from brackets 51, the latter being secured to the lower area of fixed rear panel 17 located within base 10. These braces are adjustable and are designed to render the vending machine mechanism immovable relative to the cabinet.

Construction The structure of the fixed cabinet section comprises base 1% with which is fixedly united and which supports the combination one-piece stationary panel 16 forming the cabinet back or rear 17 and fixed portion 18 of the left-hand side section, the latter being secured to the base by way of its angle formation 13" and base flange 12, while cabinet back 17 is attached with its lower edge areas to base flanges 14 and 15. Thus the base 11), back 17 and the side portion 18 form a combination one-piece stationary unit with which are hingedly connected the mobile cabinet sections, i. e. mobile panel 21, forming front 22 and mobile portion 23 of one side section, the other mobile and lockable side section 31 and mobile top section 36.

Operation Obviously the vending machine mechanism is first placed at predetermined position into the cabinet and is secured therein in that position by adjustable braces 50 so that it cannot shift in respect to the cabinet.

When the cabinet is to be closed, locking section 31 is swung to its closing position, whereupon top section tively. Before moving locking side section 31 to its closing position so that its lower edge flange 31" slides beneath and engages flange 13 of the base, it is necessary to first lift bolt 47 to clear flange 13 and then to release it against the interior face of the right-hand base wall, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

With the top section in engagement with the two side sections, the combination one piece mobile panel 21 is swung to its closing position. In so doing top reinforcing flange 24 slides under the front edge of top section 36, while reinforcing flange 25 slides over front flange 11 and a portion of side flange 12 of base 10. At the same time top edge flange 28 of combination mobile panel 21 engages front channel 39 of top section 36, and bottom flange 29 will slide partly beneath flanges 11 and 12 of the base. Due to the positioning of reinforcing flanges Z4 and 25 in respect to the top section and the base, these two flanges now constitute safety barriers against ingress into the cabinet both from top and bottomf Since all of the sections are now in their closing position, the locking arrangement 32 of mobile side or locking section 31 is now operated by a key, whereby detents 45, which were caused to pass into apertures 45' of the turned-in edge 22 of panel 21, as the latter is being closed, will interlock with the edges of apertures 45, thus holding all of the sections in interlocking engagement with one another so that none of the sections can be brought to their opening position.

While in the foregoing a cabinet structure is described with specific interlocking arrangements between the fixed and mobile sections, and while such arrangement as described is presently preferred, it is quite obvious that in adapting the cabinet structure for different purposes, the construction of the cabinet parts may require changes and improvements, which are deemed to reside within the scope of the present invention, as defined in the annexed claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an automatically lockable, articulated vending machine cabinet, a fixed section and a plurality of mobile sections operatively connected with one another, said fixed section comprising a base, back wall and a portion of one side wall, and braces secured at and extending from the base; all sections having means for facilitating their interlocking with one another when the cabinet is closed, one of the mobile sections constituting a lockable side section disposed opposite the portion of the one side wall of the fixed section and being provided with locking means for lockably engaging another mobile section, the latter comprising a portion forming the entire front of the cabinet and a complement extension of the wall portion of the fixed section, said other mobile section having substantially wide horizontal reinforcing flanges adapted to bar ingress into the cabinet, when the latter is closed.

2. In a cabinet structure composed of a fixed section and a plurality of mobile sections operatively associated therewith and swingable relative to said fixed section and relative to one another, cooperating means provided for all sections to facilitate their interlocking with one another when the structure is closed; said fixed section comprising a recessed base with which is permanently united and from which extends upwardly a combination one-piece fixed panel forming the cabinet back and a fixed portion of one cabinet side section; said mobile sections comprising a combination one-piece mobile panel forming the cabinet front and the component but mobile portion of that one cabinet side section of the fixed panel, a mobile top section and the other, mobile 36 is swung down to engage with its depending flangecabinet side section; connecting hinges extending the full length of the several sections, said other, mobile side section and the cabinet front of the one-piece mobile panel having corelated locking means adapted for holding all -s'ectio'ns i'n interlocked position, thereby preventing their relative movement, and wherein the hinges for the combination one-piece mobile panel and for the other side section are disposed vertically to facilitate the operation of these sections in a horizontal plane, the hinge for the top section being disposed horizontally so that the top section can swing in a vertical plane, and wherein said cooperating means for interlocking the sections comprise substantially horizontal flanges provided along the upper edges of the base, corresponding horizontal flanges extending along the lower edges of the mobile panel and the other, mobile cabinet side section, a horizontal flange at the upper edge of the mobile panel; vertical upwardly opening channels along the upper edges of the fixed portion of the one cabinet side section and of said other, mobile side section; a channel arranged along the front edge of the top section and opening forwardly for engagement by the horizontal flange at the upper edge of the mobile panel; vertically disposed flanges depending from the side edges of the top section and adapted for engaging the upwardly opening channels of the fixed and mobile cabinet side sections; said corelated locking means being arranged along the free or outer edges of said other, mobile side section and of said one-piece mobile panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,930 Feldkircher Sept. 18, 1900 664,697 Walpuski Dec. 25, 1900 761,552 Smith et al. -2 May 31, 1904 1,012,606 Davis Dec. 26, 1911 1,048,701 Johnson Dec. 31, 1912 1,730,373 Kideney Oct. 8, 1929 1,889,760 Peters Dec. 6, 1932 2,236,824 Kropp Apr. 1, 1941 2,317,296 Nolzinger Apr. 20, 1943 2,481,755 Jones Sept. 13, 1949 2,520,380 Wegman Aug. 29, 1950 2,562,288 Wegman July 31, 1951 2,583,931 Cummings Jan. 29, 1952 2,593,102 Caruso Apr. 15, 1952 

